Device for constructing a furrow

Abstract

A planter includes a furrow opener for constructing a furrow, a furrow closer of the planter to close the furrow, and a seeder of the planter positioned between the furrow opener and the furrow closer. A furrowing shoe of the furrow opener tapers to a leading end from a trailing end, which defines a trailing end, to form the furrow. A base of the furrow opener is tapered based on the furrowing shoe so as to be complementarily shod by the furrowing shoe. The base and the furrowing shoe are selectively peripherally interlockable so as to support the furrowing shoe vertically higher or lower, relative to the base, to define a furrow height when the furrowing shoe is received on the base. A resilient member of the furrow opener is positioned to urge the furrowing shoe and the base towards each other to inhibit peripheral disengagement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for constructing a furrow on planting ground, comprising:
 a furrowing shoe for constructing the furrow, the furrowing shoe tapering to a leading end from a trailing end defining a furrow width;   a base that is suitable for being drawn along the planting ground and that is tapered based on the furrowing shoe so as to be complementarily shod by the furrowing shoe between the leading and trailing ends, the base and the furrowing shoe being selectively peripherally interlockable at first or second furrowing positions of the furrowing shoe so as to support the furrowing shoe vertically high at the first furrowing position or vertically low at the second furrowing position to allow the trailing end to modulate a furrow height when the furrowing shoe is received on the base; and   a resilient member that is positioned to urge the furrowing shoe and the base towards each other to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the furrowing shoe comprise a plurality of projections extending between the base and the furrowing shoe, each of the plurality of projections being suitable to be received in at least one recess to modulate the furrow height and to facilitate interlocking of the base and the furrowing shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the furrowing shoe comprises a plurality of projections extending from an inner surface of the furrowing shoe and being vertically spaced apart from each other, and the base comprises a plurality of recesses extending along a periphery of the base and being vertically spaced apart from each other, the plurality of projections and the plurality of recesses configured to interlock with each other to position the furrowing shoe relative to the base to modulate the furrow height. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the leading end forms an apex for pushing soil from opposite sides of the apex away from the furrowing shoe to construct the furrow, the plurality of projections extending from the inner surface of the furrowing shoe at the opposite sides, the plurality of recesses extending along the periphery of the base at the opposite sides. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member is a torsional spring coupled to the furrowing shoe proximal to the trailing end of the furrowing shoe, relative to the leading end, so as to rotationally urge a paddle against the base to push the base and the leading end of the furrowing shoe towards each other to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other, the furrowing shoe being releasable from the base via rotation of the paddle away from the base. 
     
     
         6 . A planter for planting seed in a planting ground, comprising:
 a furrow opener configured to construct a furrow in the planting ground as the planter is drawn along the planting ground, including
 a furrowing shoe that tapers to a leading end from a trailing end to form the furrow, the trailing end defining a furrow width, 
 a base that is suitable for being drawn along the planting ground and that is tapered based on the furrowing shoe so as to be complementarily shod by the furrowing shoe between the leading and trailing ends, the base and the furrowing shoe being selectively peripherally interlockable at first or second furrowing positions of the furrowing shoe so as to support the furrowing shoe vertically higher, relative to the base, at the first furrowing position or vertically lower, relative to the base, at the second furrowing position to allow the trailing end to define a furrow height when the furrowing shoe is received on the base, and 
 a resilient member that is positioned to urge the furrowing shoe and the base towards each other to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other; 
   a furrow closer to close the furrow; and   a seeder positioned between the furrow opener and the furrow closer to release the seed into the furrow.   
     
     
         7 . The planter of  claim 6 , wherein the base and the furrowing shoe comprise a plurality of projections extending between the base and the furrowing shoe, each of the plurality of projections being suitable to be received in at least one recess to modulate the furrow height and to facilitate interlocking of the base and the furrowing shoe. 
     
     
         8 . The planter of  claim 6 , wherein the furrowing shoe comprises a plurality of projections extending from an inner surface of the furrowing shoe and being vertically spaced apart from each other, and the base comprises a plurality of recesses extending along a periphery of the base and being vertically spaced apart from each other, the plurality of projections and the plurality of recesses configured to interlock with each other to position the furrowing shoe relative to the base to modulate the furrow height. 
     
     
         9 . The planter of  claim 8 , wherein the leading end forms an apex for pushing soil from opposite sides of the apex away from the furrowing shoe to construct the furrow, the plurality of projections extending from the inner surface of the furrowing shoe at the opposite sides, the plurality of recesses extending along the periphery of the base at the opposite sides. 
     
     
         10 . The planter of  claim 6 , wherein the resilient member is a torsional spring coupled to the furrowing shoe proximal to the trailing end of the furrowing shoe, relative to the leading end, so as to rotationally urge a paddle against the base to push the base towards the leading end of the furrowing shoe to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other, the furrowing shoe being releasable from the base via rotation of the paddle away from the base. 
     
     
         11 . The planter of  claim 6 , wherein the furrow closer includes:
 a central wall extending obliquely towards the planting ground from a seeding end to a tamping end proximal to the planting ground relative to the seeding end, the central wall laterally tapering to the furrow width from the seeding end to the tamping end,   first and second sidewalls positioned at laterally opposite ends of the central wall between the seeding and tamping ends and extending at least partially lateral to the central wall towards the planting ground so as to push soil towards the furrow underneath the central wall to allow the central wall to urge the soil into the furrow to close the furrow, and   a tamper positioned at the tamping end for tamping down on the planting ground; and   
     
     
         12 . The planter of  claim 11 , wherein the central wall extends obliquely towards the planting ground at between 15 and 20 degrees relative to the planting ground, and the central wall, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall are planar walls that are angled relative to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The planter of  claim 11 , wherein the tamper is substantially rectangular and extends laterally at least the furrow width. 
     
     
         14 . The planter of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first wheel positioned at a first lateral end of the planter; and   a second wheel positioned at a second lateral end of the planter, the central wall disposed behind and laterally in-between the first wheel and the second wheel.   
     
     
         15 . The planter of  claim 11 , wherein the furrow closer is positioned higher than a lower end of the furrow opener. 
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling a device for constructing a furrow on planting ground, comprising:
 shoeing a furrowing shoe over a base between trailing and leading ends of the furrowing shoe; and   interlocking the furrowing shoe with a periphery of the base to support the furrowing shoe in place while the base is drawn along planting ground to draw the furrowing shoe through the planting ground to construct the furrow.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the base and the furrowing shoe comprise a plurality of projections extending between the base and the furrowing shoe, each of the plurality of projections being suitable to be received in at least one recess to modulate a furrow height and to facilitate interlocking of the base and the furrowing shoe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the furrowing shoe comprises a plurality of projections extending from an inner surface of the furrowing shoe and being vertically spaced apart from each other, and the base comprises a plurality of recesses extending along a periphery of the base and being vertically spaced apart from each other, the plurality of projections and the plurality of recesses configured to interlock with each other to position the furrowing shoe relative to the base to modulate a furrow height. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the leading end forms an apex for pushing soil from opposite sides of the apex away from the furrowing shoe to construct the furrow, the plurality of projections extending from the inner surface of the furrowing shoe at the opposite sides, the plurality of recesses extending along the periphery of the base at the opposite sides. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 urging the furrowing shoe and the base towards each other using a resilient member to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the resilient member is a torsional spring coupled to the furrowing shoe proximal to the trailing end of the furrowing shoe, relative to the leading end, so as to rotationally urge a paddle against the base to push the base and the leading end of the furrowing shoe towards each other to inhibit peripheral disengagement of the furrowing shoe and the base from each other, the furrowing shoe being releasable from the base via rotation of the paddle away from the base.